On Saturday, May 10th (Rain Date, May 11th) from 2-5 pm, the newly-formed St. Peter’s Madrigal Singers will host a Gala Garden Party on the lawn of Norman and Beverly Maconi’s beautiful home at 780 Bethany Mountain Road in Cheshire.
The Madrigal Singers will be dressed in Elizabethan costumes and will sing madrigals composed during the Renaissance and since, including the twentieth century. Also entertaining will be the Vinca String Quartet playing works by the famous Viennese composer, Franz Schubert. Proceeds from the sale of tickets will go to the St. Peter’s Evensong/Recital Series which this season has hosted an organ sampler recital, a marimba and piano recital, the Vinca String Quartet, and finally, the Elm City Girls’ Choir, who will visit us on May 25th, our final Evensong of this season. Tickets for this event are $15 for Adults, $10. for Seniors and Students aged twelve and above, Children under twelve are free.
May Wine, other non-alcoholic drinks, hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be served in the garden setting and everyone is encouraged to come enjoy a spring afternoon of music and fellowship. Ladies are encouraged to wear their spring hats and gentlemen should dress in a comfortable, casual style.
Children are welcomed and there will be Frisbee tossing and other friendly games on the front lawn, while adults enjoy the music and conversation on the back lawn.
If you are able to contribute an hors d’oeuvre or dessert to this fund raiser, kindly see the sign-up sheet on the Board of Opportunity in the church hall. Your contribution will greatly enhance this effort and make the event even more fun for everyone.
This is a parish-wide event designed to bring us together for a friendly multi-generational good time. If you can help prepare food, park cars, or help us finish sewing our costumes, help set-up or clean-up, do volunteer!! We especially want to thank the Maconi and Andrews families for their generous offer to allow us to gather at their home.
So mark your calendars and plan to come and enjoy!
P.S. Do you know what a madrigal is? The Harvard Dictionary of Music says, “Madrigal” is the name for two different types of Italian vocal music, one of the 14th, the other of the 16th century.
Most of these early madrigals were pastoral songs, usually contemplative, idyllic and lyrical. These songs were usually composed in three voice parts. The style of madrigal writing has been imitated in many other countries and languages over the centuries. Many of the early secular songs used the “fa la la la la” texts and were jovial and spring-like (they were called “fa las”).
The secular texts are about unrequited love and sadness or joyful admiration for a lover. Other examples treat religious subjects while following the form and structure of the secular madrigals. In the selections which the St. Peter’s group will sing, the texts are both religious and secular, depending upon the setting.